Scubashooters net e mag issue n40 jul 2018

ISSUE

N°40

J U L 2018

Portfolio

by Henry Jager

Building An Art

Deep Visions 2018

All The Winning Pictures And Rankings

Travels

by Franco Tulli

Marine biology

by F. Russo & M. Di Francesco

Wreck Dive In Sudan: The Umbria Wreck

UW BioPhotoLab

Review

Technique

The Best 5 Underwater Housings Of 2017

Guide For Beginners In UWP

Dear friends, Let me first apologize for this month delay in sending out our magazine.

We were split between waiting to release the new issue or delaying the publication of Deepvisions 2018 results.

We obviously opted for the first one because we couldn’t let you wait another month to see the amazing results of our contest.

I’m very proud to announce that Deepvisions 2018 was another great success... well over 2000 photos were submitted from photographers all over the world and they made our jury a hard time in selecting the winners among them.

But I can assure the results are truly amazing as you will see glancing this issue of the magazine.

But pls have also a look at our sponsored prizes as they were really stunning and all together worthed well over 60000 USD. Now the “battle” is over, I want to thank our jury for their behind-the-curtains job and I would like to thank both the winners and the non winners as they all submitted amazing photos making our contest more and more reputable.

I’ll take this opportunity to announce the return of our beloved Monthly Contest in August.

Stay tuned for more! Thank you!

Marino Palla

Owner and Founder Scubashooters Network

Cover image by: Henry Jager

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CONTENTS July 2018 3

EDITORIAL by Marino Palla

8 TRAVELS The Umbria Wreck

by Franco Tulli

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DAN EUROPE - Loss After Trimix Dive

MARINE BIOLOGY: UW BioPhotoLab

by Marcello Di Francesco and Fabio Russo

PORTFOLIO: Henry Jager Building An Art

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78 CONTEST Deep Visions 2018 All The Winning Pictures

134 REVIEW Best 5 UWP Housings In 2017

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CONTEST - Anilao UW Shootout- Registration Open

146 TECHNIQUE UWP For Beginners

V erein S cubashooters - 8952 S chlieren G raphic

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E ditor : F abio S trazzi - S witzerland 38668878

design and supervising :

S ilvia B ogni L ayout : S ilvia B ogni , E lisa F urlani T ranslations : P iera P irini

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TRAVELS The Umbria Wreck Wreck-Dive In Sudan Words and Pictures

Franco Tulli

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When one thinks of Sudan, he initially thinks of an arid and wild land, with immense deserts and great savannahs.

It is the largest African country but today, unfortunately, wars and famine torment it. Yet it is also rich in traditions, cultures and full of history, as evidenced by the archaeological ruins in the north of the country.

Moreover, Sudan boasts a beautiful sea, full of life and magnificent islands, hosting one of the most beautiful reefs in the world. In this context, where you can make unforgettable dives and encounter huge schools of hammerhead sharks or, if you are particularly lucky, even tiger or whale sharks, you can make a unique dive in its kind: the Umbria wreck.

The Umbria is certainly one of the most beautiful approachable wrecks for visiting, even more if you consider that it is possible, still today, penetrating inside and that the depth is accessible to every degree of diving expertise.

Furthermore, its sinking has a history that does not arouse a vein of 10

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sadness, as it happens for many other wrecks, especially of this significance, but represents one more reason to discover every corner of the ship.

Because this it is: a big merchant ship with a tonnage of 10,128 tons, a length of 155 meters and a width of 18 meters; with a triple expansion engine of 4300hp and 2 large 4-blade propellers.

Its history begins in 1911 in Hamburg: launched with the name of Bahia Blanca to operate in Argentina, in 1935 the Italian government bought it, changed its name to “Umbria� and allocated it to troop transport.

In 1940, the Umbria had the mission to carry a huge load of goods, including bombs, lot bullets, 14

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guns, various military equipment and even some cars, the legendary “Balilla” Fiat 1100, to Eritrea.

After passing the Suez Canal, some allies’ ships, the English “Grimsby” and the New Zealander “Leander”, began to follow the Italian ship under the guise of an anti-smuggling check boarded, and blocked the Umbria’s trip.

The next day, the fateful June 10, 1940, commander Lorenzo Muiesan at 5:00pm local time goes back in the cabin after a ship check, turns on the radio and hears a broadcast from Addis Ababa announcing, “Extraordinary broadcast for the troops of the Empire and the AOI workers.

The war will be declared at 7:00pm. Hostilities will begin at 00:00 “.

At that point, he gives the order to burn all the compromising documents and informs Zarli, his first officer, about the need to sink the ship before the Allies can take possession of the cargo.

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While the chief engineer, in spite of himself, provides for the sabotage, someone warned the English lieutenant that a normal rescue exercise would take place.

In the engine room, the two cast iron wolf-shaped main seacocks are broken, such as the auxiliary one and the watertight door of the shaft-tunnel, thus provoking an immediate tide of incoming water.

By now sure of the sinking, commander Muiesan gives the order to actually abandon the ship, warning the English lieutenant to do the same.

Some stories also tell of the mutual compliments exchanged between the two officers as they left the ship, and of the rescue of the cat, the crew’s mascot.

Thus, the rich load of Umbria sank within two hours, averting the risk of falling into enemy hands, but costing the crew five long years of captivity in a foreign land.

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Today the wreck lies at a depth of around 30 meters at Wingate Reef, in Port Sudan waters. Its location, protected from waves and tides, made possible through decades the settlement on the wreck of sponges, corals and fishes, turning the Umbria into a paradise for divers and one of the most beautiful and evocative dives.

The hull is almost completely intact, with the right side wall just below the surface and the four cranes almost outcropping.

Going down aft, you are immediately in front of the rudder and one of the two gigantic four-bladed propellers, with the ship’s hull losing itself in the blue at the left.

Going on, you meet the holds containing the bombs and the projectiles still stored, while on the bottom there are the abandoned lifeboats. Following the side of the ship on the right, you reach the hold that contained the various building materials and the legendary Fiat “Balilla� 1100.

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The passage is sufficiently wide and not difficult, even if the inclination of the ship makes the use of the camera more complicated and the suspension makes things worse.

Some of the three Fiat still have undamaged headlights and intact windows: they are a sight! In the next hold, there is an expanse of wine bottles and other plane bombs, while in the latter there are tires and large skeins of electric wire.

From here, you can go back along the main bridge to reach the first class walk and visit the various rooms, including the officers’ hall and the restaurant.

Every point on the ship is an emotion, and the thought that even recently several artifacts have been found, such as Ginori porcelains or teapots pertaining to the onboard restaurant service, makes everything even more fascinating.

Nevertheless, the beauty of this dive does not end with the penetra24

tion: every point of the hull is full of life: it looks like a huge metal reef, from the bow with its swirling schools of silversides and fusiliers, to the little clown fishes and their anemones clinging to the bulkheads.

From the batfish passages as curious scrutinizers of the wreck, to predators such as hunting jacks, in this evocative metal forest, from small groups of fish of various species, to the colored bulkheads, thanks to the corals colonization.

So much life that makes living and phantasmagoric a wreck of such magnitude and that, for better or for worse, is part of Italian and world history.

For information on a trip to Sudan and diving on the “Umbria� wreck, please contact: Aurora Branciamore, Mob. +39.336868882 - Ph. +39.065090585 M/Y Felicidad II, or email at info@felicidad.it.

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DAN EUROPE Loss After Trimix Dive November 2015, Italy. Gabriel**, an experienced Spanish diving instructor in his forties, traveled to Italy with his friends by car. He is enjoying his first dive of the day using a closed-circuit rebreather. He is on trimix (oxygen, helium and nitrogen) and wears a Petrel dive computer.

By the end of his dive, he clocks up a total bottom time of 95 minutes at a depth of 40 meters (with 45 meters at maximum). His dive was uneventful but during his ascent he felt a muffled sensation in his right ear which did not disappear right away. This was not the first time he experienced something similar - so he didn’t worry too much about it. He assumed the sensation will clear up during the forthcoming hours, as it always has. However, thirty hours go by – without any improvement. Unfortunately, Gabriel felt worse.

Two days later, he realised he can’t hear anything from his right ear after trying to use his mobile phone. He started to get worried and also experienced some postural vertigo. Gabriel felt miserable and wanted to go home. He decided to return to Spain the following day and seek medical treatment there.

Back in Spain, Gabriel stopped at the ER of a hospital. The doctors there believe it is an ear barotrauma and recommend some ibuprofen. Being an experienced diver and instructor, Gabriel tried to explain he believes it is not a “common” ear barotrauma. Unfortunately, the doctors simply recommended for him to come back the following day for a more detailed ENT check. At that point it was already late in the evening. What is he supposed to do? So he returned home.

The next morning, Gabriel decided to get a second opinion from doctors specialized in diving- related illnesses and hyperbaric treatment at another hospital. He was not at all surprised when he received a new diagnosis: sudden deafness. The doctor explained the sudden deafness in a diver is not a sequel of decompression sickness but the result of a problem with the stato-acoustic sensorineural nerve that causes a sudden loss of hearing. It’s not necessarily a dive-related condition. Anybody, even non-divers, can get it. But due to the pressure changes, it can happen to divers, too.

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The hyperbaric doctor prescribes him 20 sessions of hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT). He also explains that it cannot be treated with classic ENT treatments but sometimes improves or even recovers completely with hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Improvement will never happen only after one HBOT session but good results have been produced by proceeding with the treatment for 3 weeks. Sometimes there is sudden restitution towards the mid or the end of the treatment period. So they start Gabriel on the HBOT. What is sudden deafness?

In sudden sensorineural hearing loss or sudden deafness the stato-acoustic sensorineural nerve is affected for some unexplained reason and causes rapid loss of hearing—usually in one ear—either at once or over several days. If it occurs, it is of paramount importance for patients to see a doctor immediately. Delaying diagnosis and treatment may decrease the effectiveness of treatment outcome. People often notice the hearing loss when they try to use the deafened ear, for example, when they use a phone. Dizziness and/or ringing in the ears (tinnitus) can be accompanying symptoms. Typically adults in their 40s and 50s are affected. About 50% of the cases recover their hearing spontaneously usually within 1 to 2 weeks. 85% of patients receiving treatment recover some of their hearing. In about 15% of the cases the cause can be identified as an infectious disease, head injury or brain trauma, an autoimmune disease, drugs that harm the sensory cells in the inner ear, blood circulation problems, a tumor on the nerve that connects the ear to the brain, neurologic disorders like multiple sclerosis, or disorders of the inner ear.

The condition means complete and permanent hearing loss and therefore impairment for the majority of activities in life. Although it is a rare problem, it has been known in the diving field for many years. As mentioned earlier, it’s not a condition specifically in divers. Anybody, even non- divers, can get it. However, in divers it may be triggered by pressure changes whereas in non- divers the trigger factor can be something else (see mentioned above).

How to treat sudden deafness?

A proven and promising treatment is hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT). Another common treatment in the non-diving world is with corticosteroids. They reduce inflammation, decrease swelling and 31

help t h e b o d y to fight illness.

Steroids can be t a k e n orally or can be directly injected behind the eardrum into the middle ear (intratympanic corticosteroid therapy). Additional treatment may be needed if an actual underlying cause is discovered.

Infections, drug allergies or autoimmune disorders can cause the immune system to attack the inner ear. Antibiotics, immune system suppressiva or other drug treatments may help.

How is sudden deafness diagnosed?

A hearing test called pure tone audiometry is the method of choice. It helps to determine whether the hearing loss is caused by sound not reaching the inner ear because something obstructs the way, or by a sensorineural deficit, meaning that the ear cannot process the sound.

The diagnosis is positive if the test shows a loss of at least 30 decibels in three connected frequencies.

When in doubt, remember that the DAN Europe medical team is always at your disposal to give medical advice via its 24/7 emergency hotline. Just reach out for help. As an active member, always keep DAN emergency numbers close to you.

Unfortunately, we heard from Gabriel that, despite the HBOT treatment, his hearing hasn’t returned yet. We wish him the best and hope his hearing will eventually recover. ** name changed by the editors 32

A New Partnership PADI and

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PADI to help share your incredible imagery with more divers across the globe!

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MARINE BIOLOGY UW BioPhotoLab The Octopus

Words and Pitures

Marcello Di Francesco Fabio Russo 36

“ESCAPE” Canon 7Dmk2 + Canon 8-15mm Nauticam Housing + Minidome + 2 Inon z240 (F18 – 1/20 – ISO 200)

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Let’s inaugurate this new column dedicated to underwater photography with the aim of deepening many of the issues related to that activity. In this virtual laboratory, we will analyze a single click by passing it through X-rays! We will study some behaviors from the biological / naturalistic point of view, to better understand how or when to find the best conditions to shoot certain subjects, and will tell a little of curiosity dedicated to Nature.

We will then make a careful analysis of the photographic technique applied to the shot; we will explain what choices, and the motivations that led the photographer to certain settings or reasoning, and we will see how the photographer puts into practice some techniques and tricks to achieve the desired result. Finally, we will conclude with examining the post-production used to finalize the image.

Introduction: “Escape”, today’s picture, was shot in June in the Ligurian Sea in the Protected Marine Area of Bergeggi, where, a little like in the whole Mediterranean Sea, during the late spring is common the appearance of mucilage. It looks like a real cotton blanket that wraps around the substrate from -10 to -40 meters deep and creates many problems to the organisms that are covered (sea fans, brown algae, Neptune grass, etc. etc.).

The Biologist’s point of view: The Mediterranean octopus (Octopus vulgaris), despite being in absolute one of the most photographed subjects, has so many behaviors and biological facets that make all the photos of this animal different from each other. In this wonderful photo, Marcello caught one of the many defensive behaviors of this eclectic cephalopod. Although being a mollusk that remains in contact with the bottom, in some cases, when its mimetic skills fail, escape is the only hope. Then the octopus changes strategy: while still moving away it slowly recalls inside its mantle’s cavity a lot of water, swelling.

Then the octopus pushes violently out the water loaded in the mantle through the funnel, which is a funnel-shaped organ made up of two overlapping muscular very mobile flaps, located in the ventral region, through which octopuses can eject water from the mantle’s gills cavity. The pressure thus generated by the ejected water quickly pushes 38

the octopus away from danger: it is a water jet technique common to all cephalopods. To this, it must be added a further impulse given by the impetus transmitted by the simultaneous closure of the eight arms. At this point, the octopus doesn’t need mimicry any longer and it loses some of the coloration and rough appearance of the skin. This is the moment when, if the octopus deems it useful and if still it has some available, emits a curtain of ink, more a chemical deterrent than a visual. The octopus considers this type of escape as “estrema ratio� (last resort). In fact, since this swimming brings forward the mantle and the head first (from left to right in the picture), leads to keep uncovered the main functional organs that it cannot regenerate.

It is therefore a defensive or utilitarian attitude that octopuses use rarely and for a short time. As soon as it can, the octopus returns to the classic headway: it camouflages itself or takes refuge in a narrow crevice. From a naturalistic point of view, the panning shooting is perfect because it makes the idea of the rapid movement due to the hydro-jet, making the photograph dynamic and descriptive at the same time.

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The Photographer’s point of view: As a photographer, one of my priorities before starting to shoot is to evaluate the environment in which the subject to be filmed is inserted, and especially if the relative background can be valid from a functional and aesthetic point of view. In the first instance, I always try to set as much as possible in their environment the subjects that I shoot underwater, so that I can tell with a single shot something more about where they live or how they interact with the environment. However, often it happens that the surrounding environment is not very photogenic or at least not too interesting for photographic purposes.

Therefore, sometimes it occurs to try excluding the background with different techniques, thus emphasizing more the portrayed subject.

I found this friendly octopus on a rock a few meters deep, at the Isle of Bergeggi. It allowed me to approach and to take a series of photos in complete tranquility, without denoting any kind of disturbances or signs of distress. After a few minutes spent together, it started moving a few meters, but very slowly and without ever running away for good.

After a quick reasoning, and understanding that shortly thereafter it would have disappeared into the blue, I immediately decided to try the panning technique to achieve two objectives: the first to hide / blur the background that was not very colorful and interesting, mainly because of the presence of a lot of mucilage; the second to give dynamism to the shot and capture the movement of the octopus itself.

Panning is a photographic technique consisting in capturing the image of a subject by following its movement in such a way as to make the background blurred (technically it would be more correct to say “moved”).

In photography is a very effective technique to give dynamism to our shots and consists in following with the camera the direction of the moving subject (i.e. from left to right, or vice versa), using an exposure time that allows to clearly photograph the moving subject, creating the effect of a blurred trail in the background. Applying this technique in underwater photography is certainly not easy, but after a little practice, you will surely get good results. It can be performed with all the lenses, even with the wide-angle we generally use for our 40

wide shots. The first thing you need to do is to reduce the shutter speed so to obtain a time between 1/50 and 1/10, and then try to go along with the few moments of the subject’s movement.

Defining a suitable shutter speed is difficult because it depends on how quickly the subject moves: basically, the slower the moving subject and the shorter the shutter speed. The choice of exposure time is a key element in the success of the panning. It should not be too 41

short, otherwise the background blur will be lost and therefore the technique becomes useless.

Also, it should not be too long because it is difficult maintaining a smooth camera movement, and because there are few shooting conditions in which the subject maintains for a long time a distance and an angle approximately constant with respect to the photographer who follows.

After a series of tests, I found the settings that I thought could work, closing the diaphragm in order to slow down the time and obtaining an exposure reading of F18 1/20 ISO 200. The camera used was a Canon 7Dmk2 with Canon lens 8-15mm fisheye, Nauticam housing and minidome. I also set the sync flash on the second curtain, in order to have the flash shot at the end of the exposure time.

As I said, it is not easy, especially the first times, to be able to get the important parts of the subject perfectly in focus and, depending on what we are photographing and its shape, some parts will still blur because they do not follow in a regular way the main movement trajectory.

Postproduction: In the development phase, I didn’t make many interventions on this photo. I limited myself to adjust brightness and overall contrast and eliminate the strong green dominant that formed during shooting, all using Adobe Lightroom in its basic and HSL panel, with the help of the radial filter. Moving on to Photoshop, I restored the octopus colors, reduced a little of noise and applied a slight sharpness.

Bio/Profile: Marcello Di Francesco: Scuba Diver Instructor and Freelance professional photographer based in Italy, specialized in Underwater and Travel Photography. He regularly contributes with some Italian and International specialized magazines. He has also been invited to join National and International juries in several underwater photography contests. Personal website: www.marcellodifrancesco.com 42

Fabio Russo: Graduated in natural sciences at the Federico II University of Naples, naturalist photographer, scuba diver and popularizer.

He collaborated with several magazines, websites and associations through photos and articles on marine biology. On Facebook, he is the administrator of the Scubabiology page for naturalistic popularization: www.facebook.com/Scubabiology/

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PORTFOLIO Henry Jager

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Henry Jager is a passionate underwater, wildlife and experimental photographer with an incredible sense for an unexpected view on the subjects. He lives close to Zurich in Switzerland.

Back in 2007 he started with underwater photography seriously and bought his first DSLR with housing. He travelled to many beautiful

places like the Philippines, Raja Ampat, Malaysia, Egypt, the Maldives, Menorca, just to name a few, where he captured the amazing underwater world.

As Henry Jager describes his passion, “Our earth’s biodiversity is amazing. Especially underwater, you find the most craziest creatures as well as the cutest, most colorful and most impressive ones. My passion is to picture this fantastic underwaterworld as well as the topside life and make the beauty of nature available to everybody”.

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But not only this: For him, one of the most important things in underwater photography is creativity. Whether it’s the point of view, the distance, the use of special lenses like the Meyer Optik Goerlitz’ Trioplan or an unexpected integration of light, Henry Jager wants to show the world in a different manner.

“It takes time to build art” he is telling us, “the preparation of shooting is just as important as being able to enjoy some spontaneity in photography.

A good pictures consists of high quality craft and very often of the help of a big portion of luck. I’s not only about diving into the sea but also into the imagination and the process of creating pictures.”

This approach led him to many different styles of photography and made him an inspiration for many other photographers. “There is always a new project waiting to be realized.“ he tells us.

No wonder, that Henry Jagers pictures are appreciated around the globe and have been exhibited nationally and internationally. National Geographic, Ocean Geographic, The Open, The Spider Awards, and many more have awarded Henrys pictures. He won two gold medals

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(one at the world biggest fotosalon, the Trierenberger Supercircuit, and one at UWP), the DIWA Award 2016. One of the most exciting events was the exhibition at the Grand Resort Bad Ragaz, where he performed the final of the 175y celebration of the thermal spring with 26 exhibits of his water themed art.

Henry Jager has published his experiences in many travel and dive magazines as well as on scuba diving related webpages and blogs. He not only writes about travel destinations, but also some tutorials, critics, photo courses and about special photo techniques. He performs workshops and private teaching. For many years now, he’s working with Scubashooters. Currently, he’s head of the Jury for the monthly and for the annual Deep Visions contests.

Nevertheless, Henry Jager never took the step to become a full professional photographer. “Life in Switzerland is incredible expensive.” he explains, “If you want to earn this life with photography, you have to make too many concessions and abandon a lot of creative projects which are unsure about their contribution to your spending. But these projects are my biggest passion in photography. Therefore, I buy this freedom with another job.”

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Despite also some topside wildlife and nature photography, water always remained the main source of inspiration. In 2013, he added experimental photography (high speed, liquid art, drops, underwater painting and more) to his portfolio.

“Water is quite a strange material to build art. Observing the water and experimenting by influencing the physical properties like density, fluidity and interactions with other liquids is the road to a wide range of creative opportunities. In my view, water builds beautiful and mysterious art, which often lasts only for a very small amount of time.”

Henry Jager describes us his motivation to work with water in general, “High speed photography allows me to unveil these moments of milliseconds of a fleeting art of physics, not visible for humans eyes.”

When travel is not possible, you can find Henry Jager in his new studio working on some crazy experimental settings or teaching his very motivated 9y old son how to enter the world of photography.

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Enjoy you We make i

ur passion. it possible.

Via Milano 177/B 37014 Castelnuovo d/G Verona - ITALY 0039 45 6450480 info@isotecnic.it

CONTEST

Deep Visions 2018 The Winners

Category: BEHAVIOR

First place: CAI SONGDA 78

Second place: LILIAN KOH

Third place: AMOS NACHOUM 79

Honorable mention: MARC CASANOVAS

Honorable mention: GINO SYMUS 80

Category: BLACK & WHITE

First place: EDUARDO ACEVEDO

Second place: EDUARDO ACEVEDO 81

Third place: PAOLO BAUSANI

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Honorable mention: JIN WOO LEE

Honorable mention: NICHOLAS SAMARAS

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First place and Best of Show: CAI SONGDA 84

Category: MACRO

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Second place: CAI SONGDA

Third place: LUDOVIC DAVID 86

Honorable mention: SHU SHU RICKY

Honorable mention: YATWAI SO 87

First place and Best Mirrorles Shot: TOM ST. GEORGE 88

Category: WIDEANGLE

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Second place: PLAMENA MILEVA

Third place: HANNES KLOSTERMANN 90

Honorable mention: PIERRE RIBOULON

Honorable mention: HANNES KLOSTERMANN 91

First place: CEDRIC PENEAU 92

Category: CETACEANS AND SHARKS

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Second place: CEDRIC PENEAU

Third place: ANDERS NYBERG 94

Honorable mention: KEN SUTHERLAND

Honorable mention: EDUARDO ACEVEDO 95

Category: COMPACT MACRO

First place: SHU SHU RICKY 96

Second place: ZHANG JINGGONG 97

Third place: RAFA COSME 98

Honorable mention: PT HIRSCHFIELD

Honorable mention: PT HIRSCHFIELD 99

Category: COMPACT WIDEANGLE

First place: SARAH VASEND 100

Second place: PT HIRSCHFIELD

Third place: MELODY COOL 101

Honorable mention: MELODY COOL

Honorable mention: FABIO LUDMER 102

Category: NUDIBRANCH

First place: JEROME W. ISRAEL

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Second place: MAURO APULEO

Third place: GIACOMO GIOVANNINI 104

Honorable mention: MAURO APULEO

Honorable mention: YEN WEN CHIH 105

First place: CLAUDIO ZORI 106

Category: FRESH WATERS

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Second place: GINO SYMUS

Third place: GIACOMO GIOVANNINI 108

Honorable mention: ANDREA FALCOMATA’

Honorable mention: ALBERTO GROPPO 109

Category: DIVE DESTINATION

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First place: TOM ST. GEORGE 111

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Second place: GEO CLOETE

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Third place: CEDRIC PENEAU 115

Honorable mention: ANDERS NYBERG

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Honorable mention: JEROME KIM

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Category: PORTFOLIO

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First place: WAYNE JONES 119

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Second place: EDUARDO ACEVEDO 121

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Third place: JEROME KIM

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Honorable mention: TOM ST. GEORGE

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Honorable mention: MASSIMO GIORGETTA

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Honorable mention: PETER DE MAAGT

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BEST SNOOTED PHOTO

JEROME KIM

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BEST WOMEN PHOTO

LILIAN KOH

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BEST ENVIRONMENTAL PHOTO

TAM C.H.

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Best 5

REVIEW Housings Of 2017 Words and pictures:

Scubashooters Team

After an underwater digital camera and a lens, the third most important piece of equipment in underwater photography is the underwater housing- the essential seating of your camera and lens inside the water and their protective casing so crucial to their survival underwater.

Remember, it is best to consider both the camera and the housing together for your choices would be comparatively narrower if you purchase a camera first and then find it an appropriate housing.

We have researched extensively to list the best 5 underwater camera housings for you based on multiple parameters: The cost-effectiveness, i.e., the features offered relative to the price Amazon rating, which reflects user feedback and reviews Complaints on consumerreports.org Warranty length Extra bonuses that come along with the housing Based on the above criteria, the following are the best 5 underwater camera housings of 2017: 1. Nauticam camera housings Nauticam offers some of the most incredible underwater housings today. Their housings also feature high depth ratings, making these ideal for use in scuba diving. The Nauticam NA G7X11 for the Canon G7X II, Nauticam NA-D810 for the Nikon D810, and the Nauticam NA134

EM5II for the Olympus EM5 MKII, for instance, have a depth rating of as much as 330 feet!

The company also manufactures Nauticam underwater viewfinders. A leak alarm system is an added advantage that warns the diver in case the system detects a leakage in the housing. A fiberoptic connection to the strobes is also provided with many of their housings.

Nauticam housings are also known to feature a highly ergonomic design, which makes it very convenient to operate all controls underwater for a long time. All controls on their housings are clearly labelled, making them much more accessible.

2. Aquatica camera housings Aquatica housings are built solid and many allow fiber-optic connections to strobes as well. The company has a reputation of listening keenly to customer feedback and that is reflected in their newer designs.

Aquatica housings have high depth ratings, which makes them a popular choice amongst underwater photographers. The Aquatica AD7200 for Nikon D7200 features a depth rating of 330 feet!

Aquatica housings feature excellent ergonomics and provide access to several camera functions.

Their housings are often small, operating like the very camera they encase within, making them great options for underwater photographers. Aquatica also manufactures viewfinders and their housings are also known for their comfortable handgrips that make navigating with your camera uw a breeze.

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Some of their housings, such as the Aquatica Digital A6500 feature the use of solid aluminium alloy in their design, which makes these housings extremely robust and tough for use underwater.

3. Nexus camera housings Nexus is a well-known name in the field of underwater housings.

The company manufactures highend underwater housings, which are widely used by photographers. Their fine machining and design have earned them quite a reputation in the underwater photography world. Marine grade Aluminium is mostly used in their housings, which makes them extremely tough, durable, and robust for use underwater.

Nexus camera housings are engineered to last a lifetime.

Many of their housings have been in continuous use by photographers for as long as 20 years without any sign of damage. The company manufactures lightweight housings, which are considerably compact when compared to their counterparts.

Their recent underwater housings also feature fiber-optic connections to external strobes. Nexus camera housings are preferred by profesionals thanks to their high machining standards and design. As an alternative to Nexus housings, you can also consider the Subal housings, which are highly praised for their superior build quality.

4. Sea & Sea camera housings Sea & Sea manufactures mid-range camera housings for a number of camera makes. Many of their housings support fiber-optic connections to external strobes as well. The housing for the Canon 5D Mark IV also features two sockets for fiber-optic connections to external strobes.

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Sea & Sea housings offer ergonomic controls, many of which are also luminescent. Many buttons and levers are made to glow in dark environments underwater- a useful feature to have when shooting in dark conditions. Another useful feature Sea & Sea housings provide is that they convert the TTL (Through The Lens) strobe signal into a light indication.

The housings support External Port Lock and quick Lens Release features, which are very handy to change lenses between the dives. Many of their housings have a high depth rating of up to 330 feet. Optional leak detectors are also a part of their housings depending on the specific camera make and model.

5. Ikelite camera housings Ikelite is a well-known name amongst the community of underwater photographers. Their housings are highly popular and widely used in underwater photography. Ikelite manufactures housings for both compacts and DSLR cameras.

Ikelite housings are known to be the most cost effective options when it comes to purchasing an underwater housing for your camera. They’re especially great when you’re just starting out and have a limited budget.

One of the most significant advantages of Ikelite housings is that many of them support TTL (Through The Lens) function with their strobes.

TTL is a handy feature that allows automatic control of strobe light output when you are shooting underwater.

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Another important feature of Ikelite housings is that they employ clear materials in their construction, which means you can quickly detect leakage if any, should you see any water droplets inside the housing.

Ikelite housings also have great depth ratings and can be carried deep inside the waters; some, such as Ikelite D7200 for the Nikon D7200 being rated safe up to about 200 feet.

The brand also maintains consistently good consumer service and is known for the wide availability of parts.

Ikelite housings have great user reviews on Amazon, featuring a rating upwards of 4.5 on most housings for different camera models.

Other Considerations Ikelite is generally the best and the most affordable choice when you’re starting out. Remember, underwater camera housings can be exorbitantly priced, many of them costing as much as the camera they encase itself!

Go with the best housing you can purchase in your budget without compromising on the build quality.

Housings are either made with polycarbonate (such as Ikelite, a few Sea & Sea housings, and Fantasea) or with Aluminium (Nexus, Aquatica, Subal, and some Sea & Sea housings).

Many housings, such as some Sea & Sea makes, use a combination of the two materials. Aluminium housings tend to be more expensive and durable.

Another great brand to consider is Subal, which manufactures highend underwater camera housings. They are known for using all glass ports in their design and are highly praised for their exceptionally great ergonomics. If you wish to get the best in build quality, you can choose housings such as Nexus or Subal, which offer the best in terms of engineering and design.

Ewa-Marine is another manufacturer that specialises in making ziplock bag-like casings for cameras. While they are somewhat expen138

sive, they are widely used during snorkelling, kayaking, and surfing.

What about the Cheaper Options?

The Fantasia housings are great choices for compact cameras and are quite affordable. They are also highly rated on Amazon and are a favourite amongst divers who use compact cameras for underwater photography.

They also manufacture housings for mirrorless cameras such as the Sony A6500. These housings are great options should you prefer going the compact camera or mirrorless route. If you own a GoPro HERO5 Black, you can also consider getting a SuperSuit instead, a fine underwater housing specifically built for the action cam. With the GoPro armed with its SuperSuit, you could take it to depths up to 60 meters underwater!

In a Nutshell To summarise, an underwater housing plays an extremely crucial role in protecting your camera underwater. It is best to choose a housing and camera together when you plan to upgrade your equipment.

This way, you will have the most options to choose from rather than being confined to a few choices of housing makes for your specific camera model.

Another thing to lookout for when purchasing an underwater housing is the access to all important controls underwater. Make sure the housing you choose provides you controls over all important controls you use underwater.

Ensure that the dials and buttons for aperture and shutter speed are ergonomically designed. Fiber-optic connections to external strobes are new features that are being implemented in many new housings and are a useful function.

Whichever housing you choose, make sure you maintain your equipment well, attending to it after every dive.

This way, your housing would serve you as a faithful companion, lasting a lifetime!

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CONTEST

Anilao Underwater Shootout

The stage is set for the 6th edition of the Anilao Underwater Shootout happening on November 27 - December 1, 2018.

Registration is now open! Stay tuned for exciting updates http://anilaoshootout.ph/ https://www.facebook.com/anilaounderwatershootout/ https://www.facebook.com/DOTdivephilippines/ https://www.instagram.com/anilaoshootout/

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TECNIQUE For Beginners

Words and pictures:

Scubashooters Team

Underwater Photography is a nuanced art. With a camera in your hands and that underwater gear tucked to your body, you can set out to explore the great depths of the planet’s waters, discovering what lies beyond. Welcome to the world of Underwater Photography!Follow this guide for beginners to dive into this beautiful art and take your first underwater photograph.

Introduction Simply put, underwater photography is the art and science of taking (more creatively correctly speaking, making) photographs under water.

There are several activities during which underwater photography can be performedsnorkelling, swimming, scuba diving, and surface supplied diving, just to name a few.

Become a skilled diver first!If there has been a single most important thing ever that’s been repeatedly stated in the field of underwater photography, it has to be the fact that one must first be a skilled diver before embracing this art.

Before you get into the waters with your camera and other gear, mas146

ter buoyancy control and hone your diving skills. The last thing you’d want is crashing onto a coral reef, destroying the organism.

What’s so interesting about underwater photography?

The fascinating diversity of underwater life, the rich colours of the coral reefs and fish, and the unfathomable depths of the mighty oceans can all be beautifully brought out through stunning underwater imagery.

More importantly, underwater photography has given a major push to marine life conservation programmes.

The advent of digital photography has revolutionised underwater photography to a greater extent than it has affected other photography forms. It is now easier (and cheaper) than ever for an amateur to

dive into the water with an affordable camera- an activity, which could once only be undertaken by the wealthiest professionals.

Equipment Underwater photography sure is very equipment intensive. You not 147

only need the right diving equipment (which you can rent) but also the right camera, underwater camera housing, and flash/ strobe. With every equipment comes a price tag but that need not hamper you from pursuing your interest in underwater photography.

Cameras Cameras basically come in three main flavours- compact cameras, also called point and shoot cameras, mirrorless cameras, and DSLRs (Digital Single Lens Reflex Cameras).

Which one you choose is a very personal choice but there is no denying the fact that a DSLR (or a mirrorless camera) offers much

more creative freedom, thanks to its creative controls than its counterparts.

There is also a new addition to the world of underwater photography: GoPro cameras. These are built to last in the toughest environments. Most GoPros also have wide angle lenses, which is a useful 148

asset to underwater photography since they allow the photographer to get as close as possible to the subject underwater.

Housings Housings are used to encase the camera to protect it underwater.

The housing is undoubtedly the most important component after the camera and the lens. Housings are made of Aluminium or Polycarbonate or a combination of the two.

Lenses and the Focal Length Factor Underwater photography uses specialised lenses that all serve different purposes. Normal and telephoto lenses are best left back home when shooting underwater.

Wide-Angle Lenses Underwater photography heavily relies on wide-angle lenses for a very important reason. When you are shooting underwater, you would want to get as close to as possible to the subject so that the light bouncing off the subject has to pass through a minimum amount of water while on its way to your camera. This helps prevent loss of colour and detail in the sub ject to a great extent, a phenomenon otherwise common underwater.

Macro Lenses The second most important lens type when shooting underwater is a macro, which again allows the photographer to get in as close as possible to the subject to film stunning close-ups with rich detail otherwise unseen.

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Fisheye Lenses Fisheye lenses are often used underwater. They’re great for capturing the whole subject in a single frame, thanks to their ultra-wide curvilinear (spherical) perspective.

The Focal Length Factor The effective field of view of a lens, that is, the portion of the image can be captured onto the camera sensor, largely depends on the size of the sensor itself. Consequently, the field of view of a 17 mm wide-angle lens is going to be really wide on a full-frame DSLR with

a 35 mm equivalent sensor but is going to be lesser on a DSLR with a cropped sensor.Therefore, the focal length of any given lens effectively “increases” as the size of the camera sensor it projects its image upon reduces. A wide-angle lens of 17 mm might behave as a 27 mm lens (called a 1.6 x Focal Length Factor) on a cropped sensor camera for this very reason.

External Strobes Strobes are one of the most important pieces of equipment when 150

shooting underwater. The strobe aims to combat the major challenge of shooting underwater: loss of colour and contrast.

The strobe light adds light to the scene underwater, making up for the loss of the reds and longer light wavelengths underwater (water absorbs reds and hence appears blue itself). A vital accessory for a serious underwater photographer!

What are the key elements of a good underwater photo?

A great underwater photo has everything under the control of the person behind the camera: focus, exposure, subject, and composition.

Focus Focus is made difficult underwater on account of a number of factors including what is referred to as backscatter, the phenomenon in which light from the camera flash bounces off the plankton or particles in water (however clear it might appear) back into the camera.

This manifests itself as spots or blotches in the photos.

You can overcome backscatter by getting as close as possible to your subject and using an external strobe, which uses specially positioned lights to minimise backscatter.

Exposure Exposure refers to the amount of light that is captured by your camera. You can either set your camera to expose in the ‘Auto’ mode, or better still, use full manual controls by dialling in the aperture, shutter speed, and ISO while taking your photographs for ultimate creative freedom.

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Subject If there is one thing that takes precedence over every other technical detail, it has to be the subject. As an underwater photographer, you need to understand your subject and its behaviour well to anticipate its motion while shooting.

Composition Composition refers to the way you frame your shot underwater. It is generally recommended to shoot your subject with the camera pointing up towards the sky. This helps the subject ‘stand out’ against the blue background rather than merging into the ocean floor, which is usually a hodgepodge of details, all struggling for visual attention.

What are some Camera Care and Maintenance Tips?

It is important to properly care for your underwater camera equipment. Here are some vital tips that can make all the difference: Consider the Dive Conditions Fresh water and salt water dives each mandate different measures for care and maintenance of underwater equipment.

Never leave your underwater housing out in the sun. This can cause fogging due to condensation.

If the water on the surface is hot and that several feet below is cold, fogging will be more likely.

Cleaning & Maintenance After each dive into saltwater, rinse your housing in freshwater for some time. Operate all controls.

Use a towel to dry the housing soon afterwards.

Keep desiccant sachets in your housing to prevent fogging.

Make sure you get your camera and housing serviced routinely by professionals authorised to do the job.

Storing your Gear Do not leave your equipment packed as it is after your journey ends.

Open your bag, inspect all equipment before storing away.

Do not leave any equipment, particularly the optics, with any water stains.

Never store your equipment before it has been rinsed in fresh water with all its controls operated to remove any specks of salt that might 152

be sticking in the crevices.

What are the best tips and techniques for beginners to shoot underwater photos?

Understand your subject Underwater photography, like wildlife photography, relies heavily on the photographer’s knowledge of the subject. A photographer who knows and understands the behaviour of what lies ahead of his lens is likely to capture better shots than another who has no clue about his subject.

Take More than One Shot There is no more a need to keep changing films when you shoot in the modern era of digital photography. Consequently, there is no excuse for not taking more than one shot. Capture as many shots of your subject as you can, from different angles, experimenting with different camera settings. You never know which one of them could be that prize winning shot of a lifetime!

Approaching your subject & Familiarising yourself with your gear Practice well with your camera equipment before you enter the water. Enter a dimly-lit room and take some test shots with your camera and flash. This way, you’ll familiarise yourself with your gear before you enter the underwater environment, letting you focus on what’s even more importantgetting the right shots instead of fumbling with the camera controls when that beautiful fish is posing right in front of your camera.

It is important to approach the subject as closely as possible in underwater photography. Make sure you calmly approach the animal and keep a steady pace.

Conclusion Underwater photography is one of the most beautiful arts and sciences, which can be mastered with practice.

The right equipment is, without a doubt, important, but that need not hamper you from unleashing your creative genius. Make the best of your equipment, and remember that the best camera is the one you have with you.

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